CT scans can help detect gout that's been missed by the current standard testing method, a new study suggests.
Gout is a common and painful form of arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid in the body. The standard test -- called needle aspiration -- involves taking fluid or tissue samples from a gout-affected joint and checking them for uric acid crystals, reports Webmd.com.
This test usually detects gout in patients, but not always.
In this study, Mayo Clinic researchers found that dual energy CT scans detected gout in one-third of patients who had negative results on the needle aspiration test. The CT scans were particularly effective in patients who'd had several gout-like episodes but had remained undiagnosed.
"These were in part patients that had been falsely diagnosed with diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or labeled with a different type of inflammatory arthritis, resulting in a completely different, and often not effective, treatment approach," study author Dr. Tim Bongartz said in a Mayo news release.
"And there were patients who remained undiagnosed for several years with, for example, unexplained chronic elbow or Achilles tendinitis, where the CT scan then helped us to pick up uric acid deposits," the rheumatologist added.
Early and accurate diagnosis of gout is important because it is treated with medications different from those used with other forms of inflammatory arthritis. Proper drug treatment and changes in eating habits can help prevent more gout attacks and the spread of the disease to other joints.
Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter